Whether they served on the beaches of Normandy, the rivers of Southeast Asia or the deserts of the Middle East, Nov. 11 is the day we honor our country’s veterans. Originally proclaimed a holiday by President Wilson in 1919, Nov. 11 was chosen because major hostilities of WWI were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with Germany signing the Armistice.

In President Obama’s Veterans Day proclamation he said:

Our veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction.

We could not agree with the president more and that is why the AFL-CIO’s Union Veterans Council is bringing union members and leaders together to advocate for increased career opportunities, fully funded VA health care and a strong GI Bill for veterans and military families.

The greatest part of Veterans Day is that it is about honoring and thanking veterans among us. So if you know a veteran family member, a coworker or a neighbor, just take a moment to say “Thank you for your service.”

On behalf of the AFL-CIO’s Union Veterans Council officers and staff, I would like to say no matter when and where you served our country, “Welcome home and thank you.”